This invention relates generally to hitch assemblies and particularly to an adjustable hitch assembly attached to the rear of a towing vehicle for towing a heavy trailer such as a mobile home, the hitch assembly providing horizontal and vertical movement capability for the hitch connection.
It is necessary, under some circumstances, to maneuver towed trailers into positions that cannot readily be accomplished with a simple hitch attachment. For example, there are situations in which obstacles in the path of the trailer cannot be avoided without the versatility provided by movement of the hitch connection relative to the towing vehicle. The need for compound movement of the hitch connection is particularly apparent in the case of mobile home modular units which must be accurately positioned so that the modular half units can be connected together.
The prior art includes several patents which are directed to the provision of a hitch assembly having movement capability relative to the towing vehicle. U.S. Pat. No. 3,865,406 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,269,751 show adjustable hitches with a vertical movement capability. U.S. Pat. No. 2,917,323 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,214,772, on the other hand, show hitches with lateral movement capability.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,000,911 discloses a hitch assembly providing the hitch ball with compound movement capability including movement laterally of the towing vehicle, vertically of the towing vehicle and in a fore and aft direction relative to the towing vehicle. This hitch assembly probably provides the most pertinent prior art. However, because of the particular arrangement of the carriage relative to the frame of the towing vehicle the lateral movement is quite limited amounting to only plus or minus four and one half inches (41/2"). Further, the use of a carriage mounted on slide bars provides insufficient freedom of movement. Finally, the provision of fore and aft movement unnecessarily complicates the hitch assembly and increases the expense.
The present hitch assembly overcomes these and other problems in a manner not disclosed in the known prior art.